Count von Count of Sesame StreetI was about to do an article on Google Analytics, when I realized some of you might not have a Google Account. Perish the thought, but to cover all eventualities, that’s the first step. The thing is, once you do get an account, you’ll have access to a bonanza of other Google tools. While Analytics is enough of a reason in itself for this church web diva, it seemed prudent to cover the big picture first.

How To Get Your Own Google Account

There are two steps. First you go to the Accounts page:

Google Accounts

In the lower right corner, you click on “Create an account now,” fill in a few straightforward fields, and you’re off. That’s it. I promise.

Then What?

In priority order, here my favorite Google Account tools.

  1. Google Analytics.
    It’s as good as or better than many of the high-priced website number-crunching tools.
  2. Google Reader.
    I’ve tried any number of blog and RSS readers to stay on top of what’s happening in the web development world, and for my needs (multiple machines and platforms) Google Reader is hands-down the best. And, zounds, now you can even get it offline.
  3. Gmail.
    It’s just another email account, but it’s got the power of Google search built in. So you can use it for things like webmaster and religious mail lists. Over time you’ll build up a data bank of very useful information. Need to choose a host? Quick – search your Gmail account and see whom trusted others recommend.
  4. Google Groups.
    This is the old Usenet, dating back to 1981, and thus crammed with information on every imaginable topic. You can also set up your own groups. For example, I might set up a redesign group while we’re overhauling our church’s site.
  5. Blogger.
    Blogger makes it so easy to set up a blog. Whether you use it yourself or not, it’s good to have in your toolbox. You might want to recommend it (or not) to someone in your congregation who’s considering blogging.
  6. Docs & Spreadsheets.
    Have you ever wanted to publish a spreadsheet on the web? Or collaborate online on a document? It’s incredibly easy with Docs & Spreadsheets. See, for example, my church’s redesign roadmap
  7. Google Alerts.
    Do you want to keep track of what’s being said about your church – on the web, in blogs, in the news? There’s no easier way to do this than Google Alerts. You can get them daily, weekly, or as they happen.
  8. iGoogle.
    Most webmasters know how to design their own home page, but still, this is fun and it can morph into your Google launching pad. It has hundreds (maybe thousands) of widgets (“stuff”) you can add. Watch out, though. It can be a huge waste of time. It’s kind of like getting sucked into a candy store and eating a bit too much.
  9. Calendar.
    Calendars are surprisingly complex. I’ve not found Google’s calendar to be particularly helpful for my church’s needs, but that doesn’t mean you won’t.
  10. Picasa Web Albums.
    I don’t use them, because I’m not much of a photographer. But Mr. Web Diva does and swears by Picasa.

And if these aren’t enough for you, see Google’s own much longer list of options.

NB: lest you think I’m snubbing Google Webmaster Tools, they aren’t really part of the Account suite, though they seem to be moving in that direction. Also, they’re considerably less intuitive than all of the above, so I’ll save them for a future post.

Update 6/23/07: Be sure to check out Mark Alves excellent post on picking the best Google account for the job.